Bill Nash: I support TSA's plan to allow small pocket knives on airplanes

As a former frequent flier, I’m not particularly fond of the TSA and many of its policies. But I fully support their latest decision to allow passengers to carry small pocket knives on airplanes.

I am well aware that this policy is being poorly received in some places, most notably airports, but I applaud the use of a little common sense from an agency which doesn’t always seem to have any. Perhaps not surprisingly, the airlines, their pilots and flight attendants do not believe there is any common sense involved. I beg to differ.

That’s probably because I always carry a knife. I have for decades, ever since I was a Boy Scout. I use it every day. But not once, never, have I used it as a weapon. And neither have millions of other people who carry small knives. And that, I believe, is the point the TSA is trying to make.

The International Civil Aviation Organization changed its policy on small pocket knives almost three years ago to allow knives onboard that have a blade length of 2.36 inches (6 cm) or less. John Pistole, head of Transportation Security Admininstration, said, “Since that global change, and excluding U.S. originating passengers, there have been more than 5 billion commercial airline passengers worldwide allowed to carry these knives. We are unaware of any report of a security incident aboard any commercial aircraft worldwide involving these items.”

The reason for this is simple. Since the tragic attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, cockpit doors have been hardened, passengers are compared against terrorist watch lists, truly dangerous items — guns, explosives, large knives, etc. — are being found and confiscated, and as has been demonstrated many times since the attacks, passengers are more than willing to intervene to assist flight crews. As a result, says Pistole, “A small pocket knife is simply not going to result in the catastrophic failure of an aircraft. An improvised explosive device will.”

The TSA wants to prevent passengers from bringing bombs on board, not from clipping coupons on a five-hour flight. And, it should be pointed out, most knives are still prohibited. And yet, the airlines and their employees issue dire warnings about passenger safety in the air if these knives are allowed. I think they’re being disingenuous, and here’s why.

For many years, I flew a lot, domestically and around the world. So much so that I achieved an elite frequent flier status and often sat in the first-class cabin. In that cabin, the same airlines that would not allow my small Swiss Army knife on board, handed me a metal knife with a serrated blade as part of the utensil set that came with my meal. The same kind of knife that is specifically forbidden by the TSA and is not allowable under the new policy.

Currently, the TSA confiscates tens of thousands of these small knives every year. In the past three months of 2012, TSA security officers found an average of 47 of them every day at LAX. At Dulles in Washington, D.C., it was 35 per day.

People carry pocket knives because they’re a useful and convenient tool. And not being able to travel with them (unless you check a bag for $50) is very inconvenient. I certainly don’t want anyone bringing a dangerous weapon onto an airplane, but I think a little common sense is in order and, for once, the TSA is showing some.